One of Colorado basketball’s rising stars has reportedly found a new home in the SEC, after freshman guard Isaiah Johnson committed to the Texas Longhorns on Saturday.
Johnson was a massive part of a rollercoaster turn-around season for the Buffaloes, ultimately leading the team in scoring, averaging 17 points per game, while shooting 49% from the field. The son of Chris Johnson, a renowned NBA trainer, quickly emerged as a rising star with 24 points in the Buffs’ season opener and continued to impress en route to an all-Big 12 Honorable Mention.
Advertisement
While the 6-foot-1 guard could shoot from beyond the arc, Johnson lived at the free-throw line, never afraid to attack the rim. It’s part of what made him the most efficient scoring guard in the Big 12 last season and a hot commodity in the transfer portal.
For the Longhorns, adding Johnson is an immediate youthful boost to a team fresh off a run to the Sweet 16, where they narrowly lost to Purdue. While Johnson might not start immediately, he’ll be a threat to score every time he’s in the game thanks to his experience coming off the bench for the Buffs much of this year.
Once he entered the starting lineup, his presence was felt nearly every game, and it will be tough for Colorado’s head coach, Tad Boyle, to replace that type of scorer. Colorado will lean on veteran guard Barrington Hargress, who averaged 14.7 points per game, to take up the mantle and return to his 2024 form, where he scored over 20 points per game for UC Riverside.
Advertisement
Fans might have gotten a glimpse in the College Basketball Crown, where Hargress commanded the offense and scored 31 points in Colorado’s overtime loss, but we will have to wait and see who his running partner will be for next season.
Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Isaiah Johnson transfers to Texas basketball
